Detection of Choroidal Neovascularization Using Optical Tissue Transparency.

Abstract

Optical tissue transparency (OTT) provides a tool for visualizing the entire tissue block. This study provides insights into the potential value of OTT with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) in detecting choroidal neovascularization (CNV) lesions. OTT with LSFM, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of paraffin sections, choroidal flatmount immunofluorescence, and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were used to obtain images of CNV. We determined the rate of change as (Data of week 1 - Data of week 2)/Data of week 1 × 100%. Finally, we compared the rate of change acquired from OTT with LSFM and the other methodologies. We found that OTT with LSFM can realize three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of the entire CNV. The results showed that the decline in the rate of change from week 1 to week 2 after laser photocoagulation was 33.05% with OTT, 53.01% with H&E staining, 48.11% with choroidal flatmount, 24.06% with OCTA (B-scan), 18.08% with OCTA (en face), 10.98% with OCTA (3D reconstruction), and 7.74% with OCTA (vessel diameter index). OTT with LSFM will continue to be an invaluable resource for investigators to detect more visualized and quantified information regarding CNV. OTT with LSFM now serves as a tool for detecting CNV in mice, and it may undergo human clinical trials in the future.